BROOKLYN, Mich. – On a race day that was stop-and-go due to rain and red flags, Dale Earnhardt Jr. took home a second-place result in the weather-shortened event at Michigan International Speedway.
No. 88 team crew chief Greg Ives – a Michigan native – was that close to Victory Lane at his home track, but the race was called after 138 laps were completed.
A caution flag in the middle of a cycle of green-flag pit stops left Earnhardt’s three Hendrick Motorsports teammates in precarious positions back in the pack, and when the race was called, Kasey Kahne was next in line in 15th, Jimmie Johnson was in 19th and Jeff Gordon found himself in 21st.
Below is a look at how the rain-soaked race played out at Michigan for the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers:
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 GREAT CLIPS CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 15th
STANDINGS: 9th
RECAP: The pole-sitter alternated between first and second until he settled into second just as the race went to a red flag for the first time after just 13 laps. A second red flag was thrown before the race finally got back to green on Lap 29, and Kahne fell back to third in time for a competition caution after Lap 40. The race went back to a red flag, but when it finally went green again on Lap 52, Kahne was in fifth after a two-tire pit stop. Kahne fell out of the top five into seventh on Lap 75 just before green-flag pit stops, but as the field cycled through he was back inside the top 10 on Lap 95. After heading to pit road for another green-flag stop, a caution flag left Kahne back in the pack a lap down, but he was granted a wave-around to restart 17th on Lap 130. He fought his way to 15th before yet another red flag was waved for rain after 138 laps and the race was called.
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 PANASONIC CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 21st
STANDINGS: 10th
RECAP: Starting just outside the top five in sixth, Gordon jumped to fourth when the race went green. Despite two red flags, the driver of the No. 24 Panasonic Chevrolet SS still found himself in the top five when a competition caution was thrown after Lap 40. Following a pit stop, Gordon lined up 13th for the restart on Lap 52 following yet another red flag. Gordon fell back outside of the top 15 on the restart, but found 15th yet again on Lap 75. Gordon made it all the way to second waiting for a green-flag pit stop, but a loose left-front tire sent him back down pit road a second time, and he ultimately found himself a lap down outside the top 30 on Lap 95. He remained a lap down through another green-flag stop and a caution flag, though he battled all the way into the top 20 by Lap 133. When yet another red flag was waved for rain after 138 laps and the race was called, Gordon was in 21st.
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S/KOBALT TOOLS CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 19th
STANDINGS: 5th
RECAP: Johnson began Sunday’s race with an eighth-place starting position, but fell out of the top 10 before the race saw its first red flag of the day for rain. After a second red flag, the race finally got back to green on Lap 29, but Johnson’s No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet SS suffered damage during three-wide racing on the restart and he lost some track position. Johnson found himself in 18th when a competition caution was thrown following Lap 40, and after the No. 48 crew repaired the damage, Johnson lined up to restart 41st before another red flag was thrown. When the race went back to yellow, Johnson visited pit road yet again along with a handful of other competitors and ultimately restarted 37th. He kept battling through the pack all the way into the top 15 on Lap 82 before heading to pit road for a green-flag stop. He was back inside the top 15 before the midway point of the race as the field cycled through. After a green-flag stop, a caution flag shortly afterward on Lap 124 left Johnson back in the pack and a lap down. He battled to 19th before yet another red flag was waved for rain after 138 laps and the race was called.
DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET SS
FINISHED: 2nd
STANDINGS: 4th
RECAP: Earnhardt rolled off the grid 14th, but found the top 10 by Lap 6. That’s where he remained when a competition caution was thrown on Lap 40 following two red flags. Thanks to a quick pit stop by the No. 88 team, Earnhardt was set up to restart second following yet another red flag. Earnhardt fell outside of the top five but made it back up to second on Lap 83 before heading to pit road for a green-flag stop. As the field cycled through, Earnhardt was back in the top five by Lap 95. Following a green-flag pit stop, Earnhardt was back on the lead lap before a caution flag waved on Lap 124 that left multiple cars a lap down. He found himself in second for the ensuing restart on Lap 130, and though he fell back to third, was once again in second before one more red flag was waved for rain after 138 laps and the race was called.